Automatic fire-sprinkler.



A -PATENTBD SEPT. 24, 1907.

R. H. BOARDMAN.

AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1907` fyi/WWW of' the United States, residing at New Britain, in the RALPH H. BOARDMAN, 0F NEW BRITAIN, ooNNEorroUr.

, AUTOMATIC FIRE-SPRINKLR.

' its. 867,004.

Spef'ziiieationf of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907..

Application filed January 16,1997. Serial No. 352,546.

To all 'whom 'it may cmwern.:4

Be it known that I, RALPH H. BOARDMAN, a citizen county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Sprinklers, of which the following is a speciication. i

My inventioh relates to improv ments in automatic fire sprinklers, -and the objects Mof my improvements are simplicity and economy in construction 'and convenience and eiiiciency in use.' I v In the accompanying drawingz-Figure 1 is a plan view of my sprinkler. Eig. 2 is a detached plansview of the spider in which is formed a bearing for the-valve stem. Fig. 3 is a broken out side 'elevation of the sprinkler showing the broad sides of the holding arms. Fig. 4 is a side elevation oi the same showing an edge view of the said holding Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section of parts of the sprinkler, with other parts in side elevation, the holding arms being removed and the valve being shown in its open position.

A, designates the body of the sprinkler the same being substantially a tube provided at one end with a threadedportion 6 to enable it to be screwed into any suitable water pipe connectionor fitting, ordinary manner. The 'other end of this body ls provided with a suitable valve seat 7, Fig. 5 of any'proper material and with a head 8 that is externally threaded to receive vthe internally threaded ring or sleeve 9.V The said head is also provided with two longitudinal slots, 10, cut

through' the threaded portion, which slots are to receive the sliding jaws 11. These jaws have their inneredges let into the slots 10 so as to slide therein as in ways, while their outer edges project laterally to some extent from the head 8, as shown. Theouter edge of each jaw near its lower end, is slotted as at 12, Fig. 5, to the full depth of the thread on the head and ring, whereby when the parts are assembled as shownfand are free as shown in Fig. 5, turning the screw ring or sleeve 9,` will move the jaws 11 longitndinally in the slots of the head 8. The outer end of each jaw is provided with a holding shoulder 13 at its inner edge as shown.

AThe valve l4 is provided 'with a stem 15, for. mounting the valve so that it may slide longitudinal from a position with its under face on the valve seat as shown in Figs. l,` 3 and 4,*to a position away from the said seat to open the sprinkler, as shown in Fig. 5. The valve stem may be guided in any suitable bearing but l prefer to make the bearing of a separate piece in the form of a spider frame 16, as shown separately in Fig. 2, and then force it into the body A up against a shoulder of the inner bore, as shown in Fig. 5. 'lhe lower end of the valve stem 15 is provided with any suitable head 17 or stop to limit the outward or opening movement of the valve.

The valve is chased ar. "ld to its seat by fusible means consisting of the screw ring or sleeve, the sliding jaws, a pair of holding arms and a usible link or strap.

-The holding arms are in the form of angle levers set angle t angle with the outer ends of the shorter linember of each lever engaging the holding shoulder at the upper end of each sliding jaw l1, while the heels or angles of the holding arms bear on the valve 14 as the upwardly extended and diverging arms 18 are tied to- 'gether by the'fusible link or strap 19. I prefer to pro# 65 -vide the lower member of each arm with side lugs 20 between which lugs the upper ends o f the sliding jaws 11 are received for convenience of putting the parts in position for assembling. I also prefer to forma projection 21 on'the head of one of the arms to bear on the top 70 of the valve while the corner 22 of the outer arm isre ceived in a notch just above the projection 21,l as shown in Fig. 3, but this is not considered essential. The arms 'near their upper or outer ends are notched on their i outer sideso as'to prevent the liusible link 19 from drop# 7 5 ping down out of place. As shown, the fusible link is formed of two perforated pieces which are lapped and :soldered with a fusible solder that will melt'ata low temperature, all substantiallyv as in other automatic sprinklers that have a fusible tie for holding theI parts' 80 inplace. -The parts Imay readily assembled by turning the ring or sleeve to move the sliding jaws upwardly, then placing the 'arms and link and then tightening the parts and forcing the valve to its seat by turning the ring or sleeve in the direction to force' the jaws downwardly.' The words up and down are herein used with reference to the sprinkler when placed in the position shown in the drawings. In case of a're in which sufficient heat is developed to fuse the link, the arms will be released, 9 0l the water will force out the valve to the position shown in Fig. 5, therebyforcing the armsV laterally in oppo-h site directions until they fall by gravity wholly out lof ,the way, so as `to leave the sprinkler open and` let the water put out the lire. The water coming through the body of the sprinkler will strike the under side of the valve and spread the Water out in every direction. It

will thus be seen that the valve itself actsas a spreader.-

The arms will be wholly disconnected and entirely out of the way so that they cannot interfere with the proper spreading o f the water. In fact there is nothing left that the water will strike in flowing out but the valve and the `outer ends of the sliding jaws, and these jaws are so low down as to make no substantial difference with the distribution oi the water. The arms having been wholly disconnected and perhaps lost, cannot be readily replaced and safely wired up to close the valve again as might be done if the arms remained on the sprinkler.

I claim as my invention:- 1 l0 1. The combination of the sprlnkler body having s. threaded and slotted head, valve seat and bearing. tor a ing jaws mounted in the slots or the sa ring or sleeve on-the said head connectedwith the said fusible :le or iin'k for holdin valve stem,

the said head, a screw ring or sleeve on the saidhead con: nec'ted with the said sliding jaws 4for: moving them longitndinally, a sliding valve mounted to move lengthwise to the said hody, a pair of angle" lever holding arms arranged to engage the-outer ends of the said sliding jaws whilel the heels or angles o! the arms hear' on the valve, and a the valve pressed 'to its seat. I

2. 'lhe combination oi.' the sprinkler body having the 'threaded and slotted head-and a. valve seat,- with tne slid- '5mn the sliding jaws mounted in the ,slots .01.

holding thevalve'on -its seat; and a fusibl 4toi-.seeming the saldarmsdn their holding from thesp'rinklerlby g the parts in position with Witnesses:

i sliding jaws forj uioving'them longitudlna1iy, a valve ar'- ranged'to bear npon the s aid valve seat, holding arms arranged to engage thesaid sliding jaws and valve for position, the h themselves e connection gravity whenvthe valve is forced 20 

